CDC sets new rules for dogs entering the U.S.
By Gretchen Wehmhoff
Just a week before new rules come into effect, the CDC clarified its requirements for bringing dogs into the United States. The statement was issued July 22.
After Aug. 1, all dogs entering the U.S. must have a microchip and be over sixmonths-old.
In addition, owners will need to complete a CDC Import Form online and show the submission receipt at customs. The form is available on the CDC site and is good for six months. This process is for entering the U.S. even if you had just left the U.S. for the day to visit Canada with your dog.
Dogs who have only been in countries with a low-risk for rabies may use these new procedures. If dogs are coming from high-risk countries, the requirements are more restrictive.
Dogs who have been vaccinated in High Risk Countries will need to follow specific guidelines.
Canada is considered a Low Risk or no Risk Country. Mexico is also not on the list of high risk countries.
The new process is meant to prevent the re-introduction of dog rabies to the U.S.
Original messaging had dog owners scrambling to find more information. Local border officials and veterinarians serving Skagway were waiting for definite instructions. Dog owners planning to cross the border with their pets were worried.
Alaska is home to a large number of mushers and small towns where rabies (see page 5 - CDC)
Candidate registration for October borough election opens Monday
By Gretchen Wehmhoff
Registration to become a candidate for the assembly or school board in the Oct. 1 election opens Monday, July 29.
Two assembly seats and two school board seats will be on the ballot.
School board president Cory Thole’s and member Melinda Munson’s terms expire in October of this year. Assemblymember Jay Burnaham’s and Vice-Mayor Deb Potter’s terms also expire in October.
Interested residents must be qualified to vote in this coming election and file a sworn declaration of candidacy with the clerk’s office in city hall by the end of business on Monday, Aug.12, 2024.
To file the declaration of candidacy at the borough clerk’s office you will need to supply your full name; your full residence address; your full mailing address and a statement that you meet each of the requirements for persons qualified to vote in this particular election.
You will also need to indicate which office you will be seeking, the number of years in the term to be filled and a request that your name be printed on the
official ballot.
A link to the municipal election code is available here
If a person misses the Aug.12 deadline and still wishes to run for office, they can file as a write-in candidate by submitting a letter of intent to the borough clerk no later than 5 p.m. on Sept. 27. Candidates may need to file financial disclosures with Alaska Public Offices Commission. Per municipal code, the election is set for the first Tuesday in October. This year it is Oct. 1. Absentee ballots can be requested with this form or on the municipal website under forms.
“We’re headed up to Tawk (Tok)”
“You mean Tok.”
“Nah, were going into Alaska. To “Tawk.”
Photo by Gretchen Wehmhoff
Photo by Reba Hylton
A cyclist pedals past wildflowers and mountains on the Dyea Flats on July 4. The day in Dyea was a quiet contrast to the celebrations in Skagway. More photos on page 12.
Skagway City Hall on 7th and Spring.
Page 2
The Skagway News.
Skagway’s First Newspaper Christened in 1897, buried alive in 1904 and resurrected in 1978, The Skagway News is currently celebrating 47 years of reporting in Skagway and Dyea, Alaska, recording our Centennial years and beyond.
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Vol. XLVII, No.11 (975) July 26, 2024
Published online the second and fourth Friday of the month
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Editorials, Opinions and Letters
Visitor appreciates the Skaguay Alaskan
My wife and I were recently in Skagway for the day on our southbound Alaska cruise. I picked up a copy of the Skagway Alaskan and I just want to complement you on what a great product it is. I have been retired for 10 years, but I was the general manager of a small 25,000 circulation newspaper in northern Illinois. I worked there for 33 years, mostly in sales and marketing and worked my way up to the GM.
I always like to complement small local newspapers, because I know how hard the industry is these days. Your product has some great editorial content, very informative and well written. The sales staff is doing a great job with their advertising sales. Overall, it’s just a very nice product, kudos to you and the staff on doing an outstanding job.
Skagway is a vibrant little community, with very friendly shop owners and if I was younger, I would come up there for the summer and find part-time work. I don’t think I would be able to handle winter there, lol.
Thank you for letting me go on and on about your product. You should be very proud of it.
Ed Bushman Illinois
Skagway, can you help answer this question?
Dear Editor,
I visited your beautiful town on a cruise last week (I was there on July 7) and was told the story of Soapy Smith and Frank Reid while on a bus tour which also included a stop at the Gold Rush Cemetery where I was able to see both of those gentlemen’s graves. We were there the day before the anniversary of their 1898 Juneau Wharf shootout and our tour guide mentioned that locals still visit the graves of both Smith and Reid on the July 8 anniversary date, but, of course, our ship had already sailed off by then.
Do you know if that part of the story we were told is true? That some town residents do still visit the graves each July 8? I purchased a book on Soapy Smith in one of your bookstores while there and also visited the Jefferson Smith Parlor with the parks department tour. As a US History teacher, I found the whole story quite fascinating. But I was hoping to have that additional question answered.
Thank you for your time.
Craig Sanders Ridge Point High School, Fort Bend ISD Sugarland, Texas
The case of the two-hour typo revealed
Dear Editor,
We visited Skagway on July 2 of this year and picked up a copy of your [Skaguay Alaskan] paper. I spent time doing the word search in the back of your paper. I, nor anyone in my party could find Yakatania Point.
I’m usually pretty good at these searches and was frustrated enough to bring it back to Wisconsin and continue looking for it.
After much frustration I looked up the word to see if it actually existed and realized it is spelled incorrectly. There is a “u” instead of an “a” after the k. I’m assuming that error caused it not to be in the puzzle.
I’m retired now, however when I worked, I earned $75/ hr. Upon calculating my time in searching for this erroneous word you, Mr. or Ms. Editor, owe me $150!
If you can show evidence to the contrary, I’d be very open to reviewing it. If not, pay up! ��
Best Regards,
Ron Leifer Wisconsin
Editors note: I appreciate Mr. Leifer reporting the error. The incorrectly spelled word is in the puzzle - incorrectly spelled, of course. I offered him a year’s subscription to The Skagway News for finding the “hidden mistake” (sic) and for making me grimace and smile at the same time. Love the fun.
July 26, 2024
Skagway Scholars
David Brena Graduates with Distinction from Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law
David Brena graduated with distinction from the esteemed Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University, earning a master’s degree in legal studies with a specialization in contracts. His emphasis on contracts has provided him with specialized knowledge in drafting, interpreting, and negotiating legal agreements and other legal contracts.
David’s parents came to Skagway just after WWII and the Brena family is the long-time owner of the Pack Train Inn. David graduated from Skagway High School and worked for the White Pass & Yukon Railroad as an engineer before going to the University of Denver. At DU David received a BSBA in Real Estate and Construction Management and an MBA in Finance. David is currently attending the one-year executive education program at the Harvard Graduate School of Design where he is studying sustainable design and low-income housing.
Chloe Miller named to spring 2024 UAF chancellor’s list
Chloe Miller of Skagway, AK, has been named to the spring 2024 chancellor’s list at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
Chloe is the daughter of Andy and Mindy Miller and a graduate of Skagway High School which has been recognized as having the highest achievement scores statewide.
She is majoring in film and performing arts with a concentrations in film. She just finished her first year and says she really enjoys Fairbanks. Students receiving a 3.9 grade point average or higher are placed on the chancellor’s list, while those receiving a grade point average of between 3.5 and 3.89 are named to the deans’ list. The lists recognize students’ outstanding academic achievements.
UAF is a Land, Sea and Space Grant institution in the state of Alaska. Since it was founded in 1917, UAF has been internationally recognized for Arctic research in several fields.
Photo by Gretchen Wehmhoff
Even when things get rocky, you can find love in Skagway. A heart at 2nd and Spring. (If you go looking for it, please leave it for others to find.)
The Open Primary reflects the voting preferences of Alaska Native communities
In 2022, Alaska became the first state in the country to run a top-four open primary in tandem with an instant runoff general election.
Alaska also happens to have the largest proportion of Native peoples in the nation, followed by Oklahoma and New Mexico.
Closed primaries were a system through which political parties could control candidate selection and voter choice in our democratic elections. Consider a party primary much like having to win a high school basketball regional tournament in order to qualify to compete for the State title, but where only superfans or parents of the players are allowed to choose the teams.
Commentators have speculated about the impact of the new, open primary system on rural and Alaska Native voters. We set out to analyze the results of that first open primary election in 2022, to let the facts speak for themselves.
There is no way to access records of individual Alaska Native voting behavior at the statewide level. But because there is a distinct group of predominantly Alaska Native communities in rural Alaska, we were able to compare the voter behavior in these communities to voter behavior in communities across the rest of the state. You can see our full report here.
Alaska’s primary elections are typically held during the waning days of summer, a valuable time for Alaska Natives who are hunting, fishing and gathering their traditional foods before the winter. Extreme geography and adverse weather conditions often hobble precinct operations dependent upon a successful coordination between the Alaska Division of Elections, the U.S. Postal Service, air carriers that carry election equipment, and each precinct’s volunteer voting officials.
The already exciting 2022 open primary was made even more exciting by the special election, an essential part of the new election law of 2020, and with an emergent election added to
the calendar after the death of a larger-than-life Congressman Don Young in the middle of his term, After the dust settled, Alaskans had 48 different choices in the special election, including many well-known candidates.
Despite challenges with the vote-by-mail format introduced by the special election —with some rural districts posting a 16% rejection rate, four times that of the statewide average— two Alaska Natives nevertheless ranked in the top 5 vote getters! Rural voters then prepared for their first open primary and their first experience of ranked choice voting in the special general election.
We found that voters in predominantly Alaska Native communities were far more likely to vote for a slate of candidates in the open primary that would not have been possible under the previous, partisan system. This means that voters in Alaska Native communities were more likely than the average voter to support a combination of Republicans along with independents, Democrats, and/or third-party candidates. It is an obvious difference. Voters across the rest of the state “crossover” voted at a rate of 47.4% in the 2022 primary, while voters in predominantly Alaska Native communities “cross-
over” voted at an astounding rate of 79.9%. This suggests that Alaska Native voters are especially well served by the open primary system.
Our analysis also confirmed what has already been well-established: that there are significant and long-standing obstacles to voter education and voter participation that are unique to rural Alaska and many of these predominantly Alaska Native communities. Language barriers, lack of poll workers and post office staffing in rural villages, the gap between rural priorities and the urban political power centers… all of these things can and have made it harder for rural and Alaska Native people to participate in the process.
However, we found no evidence to suggest that reform is adding to these challenges, and much to indicate that it is not a contributing factor. Primary election turnout actually increased in predominantly Alaska Native communities from 2020 to 2022, correlating with the transition to the open primary. If someone tells you that the new election system discouraged Alaska Native voters from participating, they are likely not looking at the data, nor at history.
Rural priorities are not always best reflected by one party or the other. That’s
one reason why Alaska Natives living in rural parts of the state may consistently choose to vote across party lines. It’s why election turnout in predominantly Alaska Native communities surged to incredible levels, at a rate of 70.6 percent when subsistence was on the ballot in 1982.
High turnout in rural Alaska during the subsistence fights of the 1980s and early 90s proves that low turnout in predominantly Alaska Native communities is NOT inevitable. But if we want to see increased voter participation from Alaska Native people, we need systems and choices that reflect our values and priorities. The open primary ranked choice voting system seems like it may bring us one step closer to that future.
Going forward, we hope that Alaskans will continue to study and learn about these trends across multiple election cycles in Alaska under this new, open-primary system, including in predominantly Alaska Na-
tive communities. Most importantly, when it comes to understanding the impact of opening our elections, we hope that Alaskans will continue to rely on the guidance and expertise of the Alaska Native people who live in and represent these communities, in the same way they’ve successfully stewarded our lands for thousands of years.
Michelle (Macuar) Sparck is the director of Get Out the Native Vote (GOTNV), a statewide non-profit voter education organization based out of Anchorage under the Cook Inlet Tribal Council. Macuar, a member of the Qissunamiut Tribe of Chevak who grew up in Bethel, went on to become a legislative aid in Washington, D.C. and Juneau.
Photo by Gretchen Wehmhoff
By Gretchen Wehmhoff
Let’s talk a little gossip
A little over four years ago I was eating lunch with a friend in a local restaurant. A couple walked by and I complimented the woman’s outfit. It was bright, festive and flowing. A perfect summer tunic. That of course started a small conversation when somehow the man took it on a short and undesired political tangent.
“Well, Obama is gonna run for third term,” he said with authority.
Now you and I know that can’t happen.The Constitution is pretty clear. U.S. presidents are limited to two full terms. This man seemed convinced it was a real problem.
The first thing you can do to shut down a conversation is to tell someone they are wrong. The teacher in me came out. The best way to turn him around was not by my words correcting him, but by his own thoughts. So I decided to help him with his critical thinking skills.
“Really, where did you hear that? I hadn’t heard this,” I asked.
“It was on the internet, one of the sites I follow.” I know. Cliche concept, the internet.
“That’s interesting,” I appeared to ponder, “I always thought they could only have two full terms.”
gossip | ‘gäsəp |
Noun - casual or unconstrained conversation or reports about other people, typically involving details that are not confirmed as being true: he became the subject of much local gossip.
Mainly derogatory, a person who likes talking about other people’s private lives.
New Oxford American Dictionary
“Well,” he pulled up his belt and shifted his weight. “That’s what I hear.”
“Do you remember where you read it? I’d like to take a look.”
“Well, maybe I’d better read it again to make sure,” he said.
“Yeah,” I replied. “I’m going to look it up, too.”
We said our goodbyes, wished each other a good day and the brief meeting was over. No burst egos and no large political argument. Just a moment of respect and a gentle assist.
On the large scale, this man had been a victim of gossip. Someone, or some source he trusted, told him something that was not correct. In his own circle of associates, that piece of misinformation became gossip and started to spread.
Gossip isn’t new to civilization. The word itself dates back to Old English, then transferred to meaning “idle talk” in the 17th Century.
Gossip creates tough situations for children. We’ve seen multiple sad stories where gossip transferred to bullying. One person or a group starts it, others take note. Someone gets hurtoften seriously.
Gossip can create loneliness. Seeking friendship morphs into a terrifying act of self-disclosure in a community or workplace that gravitates towards gossip. Will your new friend allow you to talk things out without judgment? Or might they be ready to share your private information with others. Another wall surrounds folks who really try to stay out of gossip circles and avoid idle talk, ultimately avoiding listening to a lonely heart in order to stay detached. How does someone know who to safely talk to besides dialing 988?
In my communication classes with UAA, I cover a few weeks of self-disclosure and listening. In the lesson we discuss different types of “non-listening” such as selective listening, defensive listening, insensitive listening and the scariest of all - ambushing.
Ambushing is listening carefully only to use the information later in an attack. On a practical side, litigators use ambushing during cross-examination. On a sad side, an insensitive listener might use the information to add fuel to the echo chamber of gossip - or worse, use the information against someone.
As a journalist, it is not unusual to have folks want to report something that is wrong and needs
to be covered. In most cases, the person sharing the information may have a valid case, but it makes it difficult to cover the story without more points-of-view. There are also misinformed folks anxious to find something to take down an adversary. In journalism, spreading rumors, especially in print, can get you in some real trouble.
Libel is printing or publishing something that is untrue and negatively impacts a person or their livelihood. Slander is saying something or spreading rumors that negatively impact a person’s private or professional life whether through damaging reputations or financial blocks..
Slander and gossip are toxic siblings.
Skagway is like most American small towns, actually, like most global small towns. There are conversations that call folks to action, and idle talk that causes the destruction of a tight knit community; leaving some members feeling ostracized or unwelcome. There is a solid majority of folks in the community who appreciate the network of neighbors, businesses, school events and festivities. They love the beauty and quiet of winter and the vast outdoors. They support smooth sailing in turbulent times, understanding that staying together is the best survival. These folks are the foundation of tolerance, growth and wisdom.
When I was teaching high school, I might hear a comment in the faculty lounge about a “troublemaker” or “spoiled brat.” However, when that student came to my room, I didn’t experience those traits. We started our own relationship and I was rarely let down by showing respect to that child. I’ve used that same attitude as I have learned to love Skagway.
Coming to Skagway nearly five years ago, I learned quickly to pick and choose the information based on whether or not it was relative to a story. If someone tells me “that person drinks too much” or “that person doesn’t pay their bills,” I quickly decide if it has anything to do with my story. It usually doesn’t.
A journalist asks questions to get beyond the suppositions and rumors. They ask questions to get the truth. Perhaps that’s a good idea. Maybe asking people directly, honoring their story is a good way to slow the gossip.
What do you want to know? Share a cup of coffee and ask - sincerely, of course.
A few more moments from Independence Day
photos by Gretchen Wehmhoff
Paw Prints
By Katherine Moseley
By Katherine Moseley
There is a sandy beach on the east side of the Skagway River that a few local kids call “Dog Poop Island.” It is a popular spot for people to take their dogs and it used to be a popular spot for kids to play. That is until it became “Dog Poop Island.” A recent picture of the area made it to the Skagway Swap on Facebook encouraging people to do better and clean up after their pets.
“Dog Poop Island” is just one of many hot spots in town where people don’t clean up after their dogs. When my friends and I are out with our dogs we always try to pick up an extra pile or two. It is good karma to do so, and I figure there has probably been times when we have missed a pile or two from our dogs. We are only human after all. And while it isn’t our responsibility, we don’t want dogs to be cast in a negative light.
There are several good reasons to clean up your dog’s poop. It helps prevent the spread
CDC attempts to calm the confusion in statement
vaccinations are not always administered by licensed vets.
Skagway is a good example.
Katherine Moseley of Paws and Claws Animal Shelter works to bring veterinarians from Alabama a few times a year to provide vet care for local pets. Otherwise, pet owners travel to Juneau or Whitehorse.
Original messaging was insisting that each dog have a vaccination from a U.S. veterinarian. That raised eyebrows for locals who use Canadian vets and for Canadians who frequently visit the States.
CDC heard from dog owners, industry partners and other countries after an-
nouncing its plans. Not everyone was content. Several Skagwegians made calls to legislators and the congressional delegation.
In response to this feedback, CDC issued a simplified and more flexible process.
Dave Daigle of the CDC had responded to the Skagway News earlier in the month regarding the new Dog importation Rule. He said that they weren’t meeting for interviews, but were aware of concerns.
“CDC is aware of concerns associated with the recently published updates to the dog importation rule. We value the feedback received from various countries, industry partners, and the public, and
are actively working with federal and international partners to discuss the feedback received,” Daigle said.
Daigle said that dog rabies has been eliminated for the U.S. for 17 years and the new rules were to minimize health risks during continued dog importation.
The CDC website and the recent statement say that filling out the CDC Dog Import Form will only take a few minutes.
The new rules take effect on Aug. 1, 2024. For taking your dog into the U.S. under current regulations through July 31, see the CDC page here.
of disease and parasites. Pet waste can contaminate waterways. It does not decompose properly and can disrupt ecosystems. There is also a legal responsibility to do so. According to Skagway Municipal Code Ch.6.02.010 Animal Waste Removal it is unlawful to not clean up your pet’s fecal matter. Picking up your dog’s poop costs nothing. The city even provides poop bags and has several receptacles around town to throw your full bags in. If you are cleaning up poop from your yard, you can put it in a plastic bucket with a lid and take it to the city composter during their business hours. There is no charge for this disposal service. Check with the Municipality of Skagway for details on disposing of larger quantities. Here are a few tips that I have learned over the years that has made it a little easier for me when cleaning up after my dogs.
I always keep my treat pouch stocked with poop bags and sanitizing wipes. The wipes are for those “oops” moments when you might get a little on you during the clean-up. It doesn’t happen that often, but it is best to be prepared. If I go anywhere with my dogs, my treat pouch is always with me. I keep it hanging by the front door and make sure it is stocked each night before bed.
I prep a few bags before each walk by having them opened already. If you have ever struggled to get the bag open on a windy below zero day, you will know why this helps. I have a carabiner on my treat pouch so that I can clip the bags on it when they are full leaving my hands free for holding leashes. This is why I prefer to use the bags that have handles.
For the love of dog, please pick up your dog’s poop. When you don’t, it makes dogs look bad. Being an irresponsible pet guardian can bring on stricter rules for everyone. I personally love that Skagway is such a dog friendly town. Let’s keep it that way!
SKAGUAY NEWS DEPOT & BOOKS
Skeeter and Ivy pose with the poop dispenser at Shoreline Park. Kaliki helps his human, Crystal Harris, throw some poop away.
Photo by Katherine Moseley
Photo by Katherine Moseley
(from FRONT page)
Fish this!
When the wind blows
By Andrew Cremata
Two young men pulled a small handcart full of firewood along an old dirt road. Blocked at either end, the half-mile passage connects the Conrad Campground to the Montana Creek pullout in the Yukon Territory.
One-hundred-twenty years ago, the dirt road was the main thoroughfare running through a mining town named Conrad City. The street featured a hardware store, living quarters, storage buildings, and a five-star two-story hotel.
For millennia, this relatively small lakeside area, largely protected from frequent high winds, was used by Indigenous Carcross/Tagish people for traditional purposes like hunting and fishing. Protection from the wind, and an accessible sandy shoreline adjacent to a near-shore deep-water ledge, provided a suitable site for a large dock. A tramway connected the dock to silver mines miles away in the alpine.
In 1905, Conrad City was born. Optimism and wishful thinking led to it being heralded as the next “Big Thing,” which soon became one of the mine’s names. Many claimed it would become the capital of the Yukon Territory.
Like most boomtowns, Conrad City didn’t last long. Not a decade passed before most of its buildings were dismantled. Many were moved to Carcross. A few structures remained, including the dock, tramway structures, and two log cabins built from quivering aspen trees that abundantly grow all over the region.
One hundred years later, Conrad’s few remnants were desiccated by wind and weather. Tree branches grew through broken windows. Cedar shingles lay scattered on the ground. Even the sturdy dock withered away to the point of being unrecognizable.
Throughout Conrad’s decades of decay, a few primitive campsites scattered around the site were frequented by Skagway and Yukon residents who eagerly explored the city’s ruins. Imaginations ran wilder than the forest that quickly reclaimed the spaces abandoned by humans.
Hidden among the few remaining structures were hints of daily life. A shelf next to a doorway that once contained someone’s belongings. A fragment of fine china painted with ornate blue patterns peeking from soft bronze sand near the water’s edge. A bottle midden where long forgotten libations lay in mixed fragments under inches of soil like some rejected offering to the spirits of wealth and fortune.
It was Friday afternoon. As I watched the two young men pulling their firewood cart along the roadway, one of its wheels fell off. The cart tilted sideways and firewood rolled out onto the ground. After reloading the firewood and briefly considering their predicament, they continued to pull the cart toward their campsite. The broken leg that previously housed the wheel
carved a deep groove into the roadway, marking the young men’s uneven path as they struggled to pull the cart to its destination.
Strong wind and rolling waves thwarted my fishing plans for the following day. I spent the morning sipping coffee, watching shadows slowly disappear as the sun tracked a steep angle from horizon to zenith. High on the mountain across the lake, four mountain goats foraged in a clearing while one large male sat stoically on a rocky cliff’s edge as though surveying its vast domain.
By noon, the sun’s heat motivated me to seek shade. While wandering the woods, I stumbled upon an assortment of rusty nails, all different shapes and sizes, each dramatically bent and twisted in some unique way. Presumably, someone long ago collected their assortment of bent nails into a container made from something less resilient than iron.
A little further along an old rusty can hidden under some brush hinted at a long-forgotten meal. Upon returning to the main dirt road, I noticed the deep groove left behind by the three-wheeled cart had largely disappeared, much like Conrad City.
In 2022, the Carcross/Tagish First Nation and the Yukon Government enacted a comprehensive Conrad Management Plan to preserve the area’s cultural heritage. Before the document was signed, work was underway to restore one of the old cabins. The walls were reinforced with braces. New logs hewed from local timber were cut and prepared to eventually replace the compromised originals.
Without the effort, memories of Conrad City would soon be little more than a long-forgotten groove in the well-traveled roadway of time. Still, I can’t help but wonder at what point restoration becomes simulation - when the effort to preserve the past creates something that never existed.
Skagway’s current version of the Klondike Gold Rush preserves an aesthetic but it’s difficult to conjure authentic visions of the era on a four-ship Wednesday. Many memories of the Gold Rush are suspect, especially those crafted by colonialists who romanticized the wild beauty of the region
while excluding or exploiting the people who already lived there.
Had it not been for the stampeder’s propensity to litter, there would be no Gold Rush artifacts to display in museums. When boomtowns are done booming, nothing but garbage is left behind. After a hundred years pass, garbage becomes artifacts and history comes to life, at least for those who write it.
In this way, the simulation of preservation devolves into a farce where subsequent generations interpret history under the lens of modern sympathies, something I effectively accomplished over the last three paragraphs.
And yet I get excited when I find that old piece of china with the ornate blue markings and a strewn collection of rusty nails that once served a distinct purpose. Sparks of imagination fly when I think about a collection of personal treasures that may have rested on a wooden shelf by the doorway.
By evening I was back in my chair watching the mountain goats. The large male must have gotten hungry because he’d forsaken his high perch for a grassy slope where he grazed with his whitehaired family.
In another hundred years, I wondered what the goat’s descendants will see as they gaze out over Tagish lake toward Sinwaa Éex’i Yé (Grey Ridge Yelling Place), this beautiful patch of land briefly known as Conrad City.
I suppose it depends on who’s preserving the history and the history being preserved. Compared to the scale of time that First Nations people caught fish along its shores, Conrad City’s existence is nothing more than the blink of an eye. Compared to the scale of time in which the region’s landscape was forged, all human history is a twinkling of an eye.
It was slightly less windy on Sunday. A brief attempt at fishing yielded one 24-inch lake trout. Then I broke camp and headed south along the Klondike Highway.
After returning home, I carefully placed an old bent, rusted nail on my bookshelf.
Enjoying the lakeside campfire on the Conrad City waterfront.
Photo by Andrew Cremata
Alderworks resident artist, Carol Fabricatore, shares her work from a month in Dyea.
After her presentation of
Website of the week Check this out How many flights are in the air right now? Which airports are the busiest? See a live map of activity.
photo by Millie Bass
Fabricatore shares paint sample sheets with Lynn Davison.
Judy Mallory and Dorothy Brady attended the workshop.
Fabricatore shares a painting sketch of the Brady’s dog, Taiya in the water.
Carol Fabricatore talks with an audience in front of paintings and sketches she created druing her month at Alderworks as a resident artist.
Various works completed by Fabricatore while at Alderworks.
Photo by Gretchen Wehmhoff
Photo by Gretchen Wehmhoff
Photo by Gretchen Wehmhoff
Photo by Gretchen Wehmhoff
Photo by Gretchen Wehmhoff
Carol Fabricatore spent a month in the Bea Cabin at Alderworks Writers and Artist Retreat in Dyea. Alderworks is owned by Dorothy and Jeff Brady of Dyea.
Fabricatore is a faculty member of The School of Visual Arts in New York City. She teaches narrative drawing in the graduate program as well as painting and foundation drawing.
work from the month, Fabricatore took participants outside to practice some sketching and painting in a natural setting.
July 4
• A very early morning caller reported they were at the border station trying to drive to Canada, but the road was blocked. They were advised of the borders hours and that they would have to wait a few hours until it opened. Dispatch assisted in contacting the on-duty provider.
• A caller reported a dead crow in the downtown festivities area.
• An officer reported he came across a lost child. Shortly thereafter the child was reunited with their parents. 911 was pocket dialed twice.
• Lost and found reports were taken for a found iPhone in a blue case, and a found bank card.
• A caller reported their orange mountain bike was stolen. EMS personnel responded to a medical emergency.
• A caller complained about the sound volume of the outdoor street party. They were advised it was allowed until 10:00 pm.
July 5
• 911 was pocket dialed once.
• EMS personnel responded to a medical emergency.
• EMS personnel assisted with a medevac.
July 6
• Lost and found reports were taken for a found GoPro, a found Samsung phone, and a lost black Bose Earbuds case.
• EMS personnel responded to a medical emergency.
• EMS personnel assisted with a medevac.
• 911 was pocket dialed three times.
• A caller wished to file a report a former employee who entered employee housing without permission.
• A caller reported their elderly dog went missing the previous night while staying in the Dyea campground.
July 7
• A caller reported a small bear circling the dumpster at Garden City RV Park.
• Dispatch assisted in contacting the on-duty provider twice.
• EMS personnel assisted with a medical emergency.
• EMS personnel assisted with a medevac.
• Fire personnel responded to a downtown fire alarm. It was found to be false.
• EMS personnel responded to a medical emergency.
• Lost and found reports were taken for a lost black wallet with the word Lancaster on it and a lost tablet in a black case.
• Police personnel assisted with a vehicle lockout.
• 911 was pocket dialed once.
July 8
• Lost and found reports were taken for a found tablet and a lost wallet.
• EMS personnel assisted with a medevac.
• 911 was pocket dialed twice.
• A caller reported their elderly parent with dementia was missing somewhere in town. An officer responded and along with CLAA discovered the parent was back on the ship.
• A caller reported that while walking their dog they were verbally harassed by a group of young teens.
July 9
• Police personnel assisted with a welfare check.
• A caller reported they found an iPhone with tongue stickers on it.
• Police personnel assisted with a vehicle lockout.
• EMS personnel assisted with a medevac.
• EMS personnel responded to a medical emergency.
July 10
• Police personnel assisted with a vehicle lockout.
• A caller reported there was a dog in a parked vehicle that was setting off the alarm and turning on the windshield wipers.
• A caller reported a small rockslide on the Klondike Highway. DOT was advised.
• 911 was pocket dialed three times.
• EMS personnel responded to a medical emergency.
• A caller reported a credit card had been left in their store.
• EMS personnel assisted with two separate medevacs.
July 11
• 911 was pocket dialed three times.
• Lost and found reports were taken for a found portable charger, a lost black Motorola phone, and a lost red wallet.
July 12
• 911 was pocket dialed four times.
• Lost and found reports were taken for a lost credit card and a lost wallet.
• EMS personnel assisted with a medevac.
• Fire department personnel responded to a downtown fire alarm. It was found to be false.
July 13
• 911 was pocket dialed twice.
• EMS personnel responded to a medical emergency.
• Dispatch assisted in contacting the on-duty provider.
• Police personnel assisted an individual in retrieving their belongings from an estranged business associate.
July 14
• Police personnel assisted with a vehicle lockout.
• A couple reported verbal harassment from an individual while walking their dogs.
• Dispatch assisted in contacting the on-duty provider five times.
Secon is a heavy highway and paving contractor. Secon accepts applicants from qualified individuals for work on projects throughout Southeast Alaska.
Secon is affiliated with hires through Operators Local 302 & Laborers Local 942.
Females and Minorities are encouraged to apply. Secon maintains a Drug Free Workplace. EEO and VEVRAA Federal Contractor.
Please go to www.colaska.com/jobs to search for job opportunities. No phone calls please.
Submitted by Skagway Police Department
• Police personnel responded to the request for a welfare check.
• EMS personnel assisted in transporting patients for two separate medevacs.
July 15
• EMS personnel responded to a downtown fire alarm. It was found to be false.
• 911 was pocket dialed twice.
• A caller reported their dog had gotten quilled by a porcupine, and in trying to keep the dog calm, they were getting injured as well. Dispatch was attempting to get the location to send EMS when it was discovered the caller was in Haines. Haines police department was advised.
• Aidan Kosciolek, 24, was arrested on an outstanding bench warrant for failure to appear.
• A caller reported a seemingly distressed individual lying on the sidewalk, screaming at the sky and banging their fists onto the ground. An officer responded but was unable to locate the individual.
• A citizen reported a four-wheeler and three handguns appeared to have been stolen from their garage.
July 16
• A report was received of a near head-on collision between a tour bus and a rental car driving on the wrong side of the road. Officers investigated and the rental car owner reported the driver had been from a country that drives on the left side of the road.
• Lost and found reports were taken for a lost credit card, two lost driver licenses and a found driver license.
• A couple brought in a loose dog they had found on the street that had no tags. The dog was later reunited with its owner.
• 911 was pocket dialed once.
July 17
• A caller reported their child was missing. Officers responded and discovered the child was not missing but was with other family members.
• A caller requested an ambulance in Dyea for a group of tourists who had fallen in the river. Before EMS was dispatched, the caller reported it was not actually needed and cancelled the request.
July 18
• A caller reported a bear was seen near the Gold Rush Cemetery.
• EMS personnel assisted with a medevac.
• 911 was pocket dialed twice.
• A caller reported a loose dog running down Alaska Street. •An officer responded and returned the dog to its owners.
• Dispatch assisted in contacting the on-duty provider.
Southeast Roadbuilders is a heavy highway contractor, accepting applicants from qualified individuals for work on projects throughout Southeast Alaska.
Females and Minorities are encouraged to apply. Southeast Roadbuilders maintains a Drug Free Workplace. EEO and VEVRAA Federal Contractor.
Please go to www.colaska.com/jobs to search for job opportunities. No phone calls please.
CLASSIFIEDS
News Classified Ads cost 40 cents per word, $4 minimum. SERVICES
FOOD BANK DONATIONS WELCOME. Donations may be sent to the Food Bank, PO Box 200, Skagway, AK 99840. The local Food Bank helps those in need with groceries. If you need assistance, or know anyone who needs assistance, at any time of year, call any pastor.
LEGAL • RFB • RFP
Wastewater Treatment Facility Improvements Design Services
Bid/RFP Status:
Open - accepting bids and proposals
Bid/RFP Due Date:
Thursday, August 8, 2024
2:00pm
The Municipality of Skagway is requesting proposals from qualified engineers for the design, permitting, and construction administration/inspection of improvements to the Wastewater Treatment Facility (WWTF) in Skagway, Alaska. The purpose of the improvements is to improve facility performance, bring the facility into compliance with its National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit, and meet future flow demands through 2053.
The successful proposer shall provide design, permitting, and construction/inspection services for the construction of the improvements listed above. The proposer shall provide the following services:
• Evaluate existing WWTF conditions and previous designs.
• Provide conceptual drawings with rough order of magnitude costs before proceeding to 35% design.
• Upon reception of a direction from the MOS, provide 35%, 65%, and 95% designs to be presented in person to the Municipality.
• Provide All Permitting for Construction Phase.
• Provide Cost estimates at 35%, 65%, and 95% design.
• Provide bid ready documents for construction.
• Provide Project Schedule.
• Provide plan for construction administration and inspection services during construction.
• Assist with grant management and compliance.
Deliverables: Conceptual designs and rough order of magnitude cost estimates
Skagway Visitors Department posted the 2024 Cruise Ship Arrival schedule. Here. https:// www.skagway.org/svd/page/ skagway-cruise-ship-arrivals-schedules
• 35% design & Cost Estimate
• 65% Plan, Specifications, and Cost Estimate
• 95% Plan, Specifications, and Cost Estimate
• Complete (100%) Bid ready Documents
• All Federal, State, and local permits
• Construction administration and inspection services
All bid documents shall be in compliance with federal grant requirements. Bidders are required to familiarize themselves with the federal grant requirements.
Proposals which do not address the items listed in this section may be considered incomplete and may be deemed nonresponsive by the Municipality of Skagway in its sole discretion. It is the responsibility of the firms submitting proposals to determine the actual efforts required to complete the project. Interested firms shall submit one electronic copy and 8 paper copies of the completed proposal in an envelope marked “WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS
DESIGN SERVICES” and are due no later than 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, August 8, 2024, to PO Box 415 Skagway, AK 99840 or delivered directly to the Municipal Offices at 700 Spring Street. Faxed or e-mailed proposals will not be accepted.
BROADWAY
Library Hours: Mon. - Thurs. 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. Fri. 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Sat-Sun 12 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Call 983-2665 or email
https://skagwaylibrary.com/ library@skagway.org
Dahl Clinic Hours:
Mon. - Fri. 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Closed Sat. and Sun. 907-983-2255
For after-hours emergencies, dial 911.
Solid Waste Facility Hours
T, Th, Sa, Su. 1 - 3 p.m.
Skagway Museum
907-983-2420
Border stations:
7 a.m. - 11 p.m. Call each station for specifics.
Ferry Terminal Hours
Daily 8:00 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Earlier when there is an early ferry Skagway Rec Center https://skagwayrecreation.org 907-983-2679
SKAGWAY WORSHIP DIRECTORY
Assembly of God Church 8th & State • 907-983-2350
Sun. Worship....................11 a.m.
Wed. Bible Devotions & Prayer 7 p.m.
Email skagwayag@outlook.com
First Presbyterian Church 5th & Main • 983-2260
Sunday Worship 9:30 a.m.
Seafood Socials 5:30 p.m. Wed.. Bible Study 6:30 p.m. Tues. Online access available
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 11th & State • 983-2518
Sun. Sacrament Meeting...10 a.m.
St. Therese Catholic Church 9th & State • 983-2271
Sun. Mass..........4 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Mass Mon. & Tues.....12:10 p.m. (when a priest is available)
TIDE TABLE from US Harbors See the link to monthly tides on www.skagwaynews.com
Scholarships, notes & opportunities
The Skagway Public Library
Wifi is available outside the library 10am-10pm..
Windy Valley Babies (Story Time) happens every Wednesday at 10:30 am inside the Library. Story Time is specially designed for ages 0-3. Bring your 0-3 year old to sing and read stories with Ms. Anna!
Music Saturdays. Come play around on our mandolin, ukulele, guitar, banjo or piano!
(And you won’t even get shushed!)
Late Night Library takes place on select Friday nights at 6:00pm in the library. These evenings include crafts, game nights, special guests, and activities for young patrons in 5th grade and up!
Passports: If you need to apply for a U.S. passport, Crystal Harris, our Library Assistant, is currently Skagway’s only passport acceptance agent. Applications are accepted by appointment only and Crystal takes passport appointments Tuesday through Fri day. Please call for an appointment or more information at 907-983-2665 or email library@skagway.org.
Scholarships, undergraduate and graduate U.S. Department of Agriculture’s NextGen Program at the University of Alaska Fairbanks - The NextGen Program, managed by the UAF Institute of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Extension, offers undergraduate and graduate tuition scholarships of up to $12,000 per semester and paid internships. USDA scholars will participate in events while learning about the diverse career opportunities at the department.
The goal is to strengthen the USDA’s future workforce by increasing the number of people from underrepresented groups and regions who are knowledgeable about farming, animals, health and nutrition. UAF is partnering with Arizona State University, Food Corps, Hawai’i Pacific University and University of Guam in this initiative.
For more information and to apply, visit https://www.uaf. edu/ces/initiatives/nextgen/.
For more information, contact NextGen coordinator Jay Clapeck at jjclapeck@alaska.edu or 907-474-6203.
Naloxone overdose kits (name brand NARCAN) have been placed around town to assist in an opioid emergency. They can be found at the following locations:
● AMHS Ferry Terminal
● Eagles F.O.E. Aerie #25
● Elks Lodge #431
● Grizzly’s General
● Skagway Recreation Center
● The Station
● U.S. Post
Emergency medical assistance is still necessary after administering naloxone.
Are you a budding or closet cartoonist?
The Skagway News welcomes your work.
The News can only pay in gratitude, but you will be published next to great Alaskan artists such as Chad Carpenter and Chuck Legge; and lets not forget about Zed, our favorite, fun-loving dryer lint creation by Duane Abel.
This could be great way to start your career in cartooning by publishing in your local paper.
Send your submissions in PDF or JPEG formats or questions to editor@skagwaynews.com.
A sense of humor is relative, but a sense of audience is important. Please keep it friendly.
www.corkeycomics.com
Photos by Gretchen Wehmhoff
Cole Kelley of Alaska Mountain Guides, gives a safety orientation before pushing off onto the Taiya River. His clients pass on a smile as he radios the team that his boat is on the water.